At their final meeting, West Hollywood’s Social Justice Task Force reviewed the report they plan to present to City Council next month.
Over the course of 18 meetings since, the task force drafted a set of recommendations to take back to City Council.
It was a bittersweet moment for the task force members, who all said they were honored by the opportunity to effect change in the community.
“It’s kind of like the end of something at the beginning of a much greater movement,” said member Mito Aviles. “When I moved into the city in 2007 there was none of this. Diversity and inclusion didn’t exist. That was my whole thing: that’s what we need in the city. And to now be a part of a group of cohorts who see that … it takes my breath away.”
The task force members all said they planned to be present when the report is presented on Oct. 11.
The recommendations are divided into three areas — economic/community development/contracting; public safety; and housing/homelessness.
ECONOMIC/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/CONTRACTING
● Amend the business registration form to collect data related to race
● Creation of a webpage that would provide a step by step guide for opening a business in WeHo
● Develop a business incubator program marketed primarily to BIPOC entrepreneurs
● Implement a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification
● Require all RFPs distributed by WeHo to have a minimum 20 percent responses from businesses with a majority BIPOC-ownership stake
PUBLIC SAFETY
● Expand legal services to provide expungement or reduced offenses for nonviolent cannabis-related crimes
● Provide reparations to offset the racial disparity in cannabis-related arrests
● Examine and investigate WeHo’s contract with the sheriff
● Expand Block by Block presence
HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS
● Allocate funds for operations and services related to Project HomeKey
● Designate “safe places” resources in every park, including lockers/storage space, phone charging stations, showers and bus passes.
● Allocate funds to prioritize hiring of diverse staff (including staff with lived experience)
● Provide additional funding for rental assistance
The report also recommends the creation of a “permanent body that addresses social equity in West Hollywood and advises the City Council on pathways to enhance social and racial equity in the community.”
good laugh
I have to be honest the comments I am reading here are really disappointing. The members of this task force are dedicated public servants that show up in the face of tremendous difficulties and red tape and are looking at what is a real set of issues facing the city of West Hollywood. But also what else can be expected from the peanut gallery of people sitting on their ass commenting rather than doing actual work to help change things. Y’all are jokers. The truth is West Hollywood is extremely exclusionary catering to the needs of White wealthy people. I… Read more »
Rather than assuming white people of privilege are the obstacle, how about folks taking on the personal responsibility of their own advancement and success on whatever scale that may be. Many achieve this I. Business and their own community and don’t necessarily need a megaphone or an award if recognition. Accomplishing the task is often its own reward. Becoming a public spectacle often puts an unnecessary obstacle into the path. Self defined victims expect a free pass but then that seems to be another type of warped privilege.
You. are. wrong.
It’s easy for someone who has had the world handed to them to look down on those that historically need more help. It’s just a fact. But if you need to shield yourself in your own privilege be my guest. It really makes no difference to me. You are just wrong there’s really no argument to be had.
Unfortunately your assumptions are incorrect again. Was not speaking from a position of having anything handed to me on the contrary it is rewarding to help folks that are willing to do their part rather than complaining. This city is overloaded with victims. Please consider changing your negative attitude. 🙄
I think we should get a permanent body that walks around the city looking for actual things to improve. These improvements can be fixing sidewalks, cutting back overgrown hedges and plants that block/partially block sidewalks, broken curbs that pop car tires, putting green arrows where there are dangerous intersections (two blocks east of City Hall), and so much more. We can have a permanent body dedicated to lowering the City’s massive carbon footprint. I can imagine how much fuel is going to be needed to keep those beautiful but massive swimming pools heated. We should be setting up a legacy… Read more »
The Social Justice Task Force advocating “specialness” needing privileges rather than being individuals with high standards and respect for all regardless of all the divisive factors these folks are screaming for.
Your 5 minutes have expired. Now time to integrate your selves into the fabric of society without special privileges as alleged victims.
The dumbing down of West Hollywood government is now complete. These silly recommendations could have come from any junior high school classroom.
Would a Gay Ashkenazi looking to open a business in WeHo be eligible for any of these BIPOC benefits? Asking for a friend…
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/yes-ashkenazi-jews-including-gal-gadot-are-people-of-color/
The last place you want a business or corporation is California. Because you will be paying taxes to support the totally corrupt bureaucrats from Sacramento to West Hollywood. They absolutely do nothing except make it difficult to run a business and spend taxpayers money on ludicrous things like equity and woke. Just look at the SHE. Shyne, Horvath and Erickson! Plus Governor French laundry Nuisance! As for the commission they just sound like talking heads for Shyne.
Oh and I didn’t even notice the “permanent body.” No, please do not use our tax dollars to fund a moral crusade.
Another “busy work” task force to keep folks occupied and give them a soapbox to expound upon their lack of intelligence. Reparations and expanded legal services for folks involved with cannabis? Don’t use cannabis period. Lockers & showers for the homeless in our parks? How about “Glamping Homeless Style”? A member managing mannequins mistakes them for actual humans. Another member threatened to ruin the business of a resident because she misinterpreted a favorable comment on Instagram during the Black Lives, Black Women Matter mayhem. These folks could benefit from some discipline, proper education and authentic problem solving and perhaps they… Read more »
Thank you. Well said.
Some of these are good. Most are not. This is America. We do not ask business owners to state their race as part of getting approval to operate. So, no, City Council, please do not court an unwinnable lawsuit by adopting this particular measure. I do not know any business in its right mind that would want a certificate naming it a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. Some of these measures look like roadblocks to doing business, and there is already a plague of shuttered businesses all along SMB. We should be encouraging business from ALL people who can potentially bring commerce… Read more »
There might be no need for a social Justice task force if folks understood the concept and practice of personal dignity.
The report also recommends the creation of a “permanent body that addresses social equity in West Hollywood and advises the City Council on pathways to enhance social and racial equity in the community.” Really! And just how do you accomplish that? Do you go out and recruit people to move to WeHo? Do you offer incentives? Has any racial minority ever been denied housing because of their race? Could it be that there are just not that many people who are racial minorities who even want to live in WeHo, which would explain why there were so few? “Equality” of… Read more »
This is social engineering, pure and simple, which I find reprehensible!
Let the market decide where people choose to live. That’s the way it is anywhere else, unless self-important social justice warriors have intruded to screw things up.